Shadow war comes to Pakistan as U.S. battles Taliban, al-Qaeda

By Joseph L. Giacalone / joe@theklaxon.com / 02.07.2010

Updated on: 02.07.10 at 9:55 am

Paresh Nath, The Khaleej Times, UAE/caglecartoons.com

The fight against the Taliban and al-Qaeda has spread to Pakistan with or without the country’s approval. It is apparent that U.S. forces are targeting locations inside of Pakistan for suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda hideouts. It’s ironic though, that U.S. President Barack Obama banned the term “War on Terror,” took three months to make a decision about sending more troops to Afghanistan and then turns around and starts a shadow war in Pakistan.

U.S.-unmanned drone attacks average three a week—a far cry from the occasional usage we saw last year. In one attack this week, 18 drones struck targets inside of Pakistan. However, the biggest clue that operations have spread to Pakistan was when three American soldiers were killed inside of the country during a suicide bombing mission on Feb. 3. An attack that might have had more to do with exposing America’s role in Pakistan than anything else.

Pakistan often is our reluctant ally in the fight against terrorism. They love our money, but hate our way of life. Though, they also are too important to cut out.

If history repeats itself—it often does—Pakistan is harboring many of the Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters after the U.S. invasion. Pakistan played an important role for the Mujahedeen during the war between the Soviets and Afghanistan. Weapons and supplies were shipped through ports in Karachi to fighters in Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden set up a headquarters in Peshawar, which was used to recruit young Arabs for the Jihad against the godless Soviets, as well as to disseminate the weapons.

It’s no surprise that polls taken inside of Pakistan show that the citizens are not happy with the drone attacks and are overly concerned about U.S. troops on the ground. Even though the soldiers have been labeled as “trainers,” no one is being fooled.

Pakistanis know that the U.S. is the mother-in-law of the world. The country comes—often uninvited—sits in the favorite chair and then stays as long as it wants.